Renewable Portfolio Standard

Before the Clean Energy Standard, New York State operated under the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

On September 24, 2004, following extensive stakeholder engagement, New York State’s Public Service Commission (the PSC) issued the Order Approving Renewable Portfolio Standard adopting the RPS. The goal of the RPS was to increase the proportion of renewable energy New Yorkers used from 19.3 percent (using 2004 as the baseline year) to at least 25 percent by the end of 2013.

On January 1, 2010, after a review of the RPS, the PSC issued another order increasing the RPS goal from 25 percent by 2013 to 30 percent by 2015, using the same 2004 baseline. Later, after the launch of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision, and to fulfill the 2015 New York State Energy Plan, the State set its sights on 50 percent of New York’s electricity coming from renewable energy by 2030, established officially by the Clean Energy Standard.

Renewable Portfolio Standard Main Tier Program

Main Tier resources were eligible renewable resources as defined in Appendix B [PDF] of the RPS order.

Through eleven solicitations, the Main Tier has 81 active projects under contract totaling 2,421 MW of new renewable capacity. Active Main Tier projects by resource include:

10 Landfill Gas projects totaling 60.1 MW

2 Biomass projects totaling 69.3 MW

34 Hydroelectric projects totaling 68.4 MW

26 Wind projects totaling 2,148 MW

5 Fuel Cells totaling 3.0 MW

3 Anaerobic Digesters totaling 11.8 MW

1 Solar Project totaling 49.9 MW

The power generated from these 81 projects is expected to provide enough clean power to supply over 825,000 average-sized homes per year.

For a generating facility to be eligible for Main Tier program procurements, it must have met the generation type and fuel source eligibility requirements as defined and clarified by the PSC in its various orders. The PSC orders issued for Case 03-E-0188 are the controlling authority for all determinations of eligibility of projects in the New York State RPS.

Clean Energy Standard

New York’s Clean Energy Standard (CES) is the most comprehensive and ambitious clean energy goal in the State's history. The CES is designed to fight climate change, reduce harmful air pollution, and ensure a diverse and reliable low carbon energy supply.